In general, devices for interfacing with high frequency data transfer media are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,672,709; 8,731,364; 9,606,317 and 9,784,936; and U.S. Patent Pub. Nos. 2015/0362092 and 2015/0364876, the entire contents of each being hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
In general, many data transfer media includes multiple pairs of lines bundled together. Communications systems typically incorporate such media (e.g., fiber optic cables, etc.) and connectors (e.g., jack/plug combinations) for data transfer. For example, a plurality of jack housings may be positioned adjacent one another in a multi-gang jack panel or the like, with each jack housing releasably secured and/or attached to the jack panel or the like.
In general, commercial buildings require an effective and efficient telecommunications infrastructure to support the wide variety of services that rely on the transport of information. Typically, wiring systems within buildings are terminated at a location where they may be interconnected with one another, and/or to other cabling systems or telecommunications equipment. Cables are often terminated on wire panels or patch panels or the like, which can be mounted to racks or to some other location/structure.
Patch panels are known in the field of data communication systems. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,106,311, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Some other exemplary assemblies/systems in this general field are described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,697,811; 7,983,038 and 8,398,039, the entire contents of each being hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
A patch panel generally provides a plurality of network ports incorporated into a structural element that connect incoming and outgoing lines of a communication/electrical system (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or the like). Typical patch panels are mounted hardware units that include a plurality of port locations, and utilize cables for interconnections. A patch panel can use patch cords to create the interconnections. Patch panel systems are generally intended to facilitate organization and management in implementing telecommunications wiring systems (e.g., for high speed data networks).
In general, many rows of cabinets or racks typically fill a data center or telecommunications room. Patch panels affixed to a rack and/or a telecommunications room provide convenient access to telecommunication devices (e.g., servers) within the rack or room. As the demand for the use of telecommunication devices rapidly grows, space for such devices becomes limited and/or expensive.
A constant need exists among manufacturers to develop patch panel assemblies/patching systems or the like that include improved features and structures.
As patch field fiber density has increased, the amount of physical space remaining for labels has generally decreased. This has had some serious implications, including but not limited to: (i) labels are generally small (e.g., around ¼″ tall) and getting smaller; (ii) text space on a label is often limited to a single line; (iii) text size on a label is often small and difficult to read; and (iv) character limits on a label force label assignments to encode or even omit key port information.
Thus, an interest exists for improved labels for data center applications, and related systems and methods of use.
These and other inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement are addressed and/or overcome by the systems, methods and assemblies of the present disclosure.